School official: Sorry for calling police chief ‘skinhead’

May 17, 2018

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey school board member who was caught on camera cursing at a police officer and calling the chief a “skinhead cop” is apologizing for her behavior, saying it was an “irrational response.”

South Orange-Maplewood School Board Member Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad can be heard using profanity when being issued tickets by the South Orange officer in dashcam video of the April 27 traffic stop. Although the driver identifies herself as Lawson-Muhammad, she cannot be seen.

Lawson-Muhammad, who is black, can be heard telling the white police officer that she’s “scared of cops because you guys hurt black people.”

NJ.com reports she issued a statement Thursday saying she’s sorry she allowed her emotions to overwhelm her as she was trying to get her kids to school. She commended the officer for his patience.